Thursday, February 5, 2009

Have you ever wondered why so many people spend so much time watching birds? Not just a few people, millions of people everywhere, all over the world. We write about them, photograph them, sketch and paint them. We bring them closer with our cameras, our binoculars, our spotting scopes. We plan trips to see them, make and meet friends around them, count them, survey and list them. And the amazing thing about it, we don’t have to go much farther than our own yards to enjoy and study birds. There is a vast array of color, song, diversity and interesting behavior waiting for us right outside our own back doors.

In this 93rd edition of I and the Bird, we’ll show you a sampling of the many different ways people enjoy this passion called “birding”. And make no mistake about it, on the human side of things, birding activities are just as varied as the personalities of the people who pursue them. The one common theme you will find in all bird-loving activities--an enduring interest and enjoyment of birds in their natural world.

It starts with a bird, a discovery, the unexpected.

Jeff at Jeffery A. Gordon will introduce you to how it all begins, even Before the Spark, and give you a sampling of other spark stories. A love for birds can start any time, anywhere.You'll find nature walks are one of the most common ways people enjoy birds. Some walks are casual and solitary. Others are focused and organized. Most contain hopes and aspirations. All can turn up surprises.Duncan at Ben Cruachan-natural history in Australia, shares his Friday night walk with us as he enjoys his canine companion and the birds that sing and pose for his camera.

Places to find birds can range from far away journeys to backyard feeders, but no matter how common or uncommon the bird may be, birders enjoy the satisfaction of recapturing and sharing their experiences through art, photography and verse.

Sometimes birders gather to experience the rare and seldom seen. Others give their attention to unique habits and characteristics that make a common species special. Still others cast a steady and watchful eye toward species in danger of disappearing.

James at Birdman in Lark Plains Lammergeier takes us on an eloquently described journey through time and the African plains to show us the world of the critically endangered Beesley's or Maasai Lark.

Curiosity and learning are as much a part of birding as finding the bird. It can be as simple as seeing a new species for the first time or witnessing behavior that aids understanding or stimulates more questions. There are no limits here. Some even follow their curiosities into deeper studies that uncover little-known secrets in our natural world.

Allison at Mama Bird tells us the symptoms of Hawk Owl Fever, a disease you may have never heard of, that suddenly infected all ages in Maine.

Ways to enjoy birds are as diverse and plentiful as the birds themselves. There's a style and speed for everyone. But be forewarned before you embark on any birding activity--birds are compelling. Who knows where they might lead you!

I am at work now and can't indulge but I just had to check out the offerings. This Bird Blog Carnival is like buying a book of food ghost stories (one of my favorite genres) and drooling over the titles in the Table of Contents for some good reading later that night.

What a great post! There is soooo much information here that it will take me a few weeks to go through it all. I am just going to have to bookmark this post so I can keep coming back to it when I have a moment or two.

Bird-banding at Seven Islands State Birding Park--2014

Bird-banding at Seven Islands

Enjoying Gray Jays in Churchill!--2014

Smithsonian National Zoo with one of my Whooping Crane banners and son, John--2014

The Incredible Muir Woods near Stinson Beach, CA--2014

Photo courtesy of Wendy Pitts Reeves

Me and Denali--2012

Photo courtesy of Bob King

For the Love of It...

...the sage sees heaven reflected in Nature as in a mirror, and he pursues this Art, not for the sake of gold or silver, but for the love of the knowledge which it reveals.Sendivogius (1750)

Your Uncapped Creativity...

"There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action; and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. If you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. You must keep that channel open. It is not for you to determine how good it is, nor how valuable. Nor how it compares with other expressions. It is for you to keep it yours, clearly and directly." ----the great dancer, Martha Graham

Tennessee's Majestic Sandhill Cranes

Autumn Birds Note Cards

Welcome!

Vickie Henderson

Artist, writer, photographer and nature enthusiast, I blog about the experiences that inspire my art. My posts include nature observations and my love for the creative process. For more information about my art visit my "More About Me" page.

Whooping Crane Photo Images

Whooping Cranes

Whooping cranes were on the brink of extinction in the early 1940's with only 15 remaining in the population that migrates from their nesting grounds in Canada to the coast of Texas. Today, after many years of help, this population has reached a record number of 266. In order to safeguard this species, biologists are using an innovative method to imprint captive reared Whooping cranes and teach them to migrate behind ultralight aircraft. In this way, Whooping cranes have been restored to the Eastern flyway and a separate wild migrating population has been established. As more and more people have the privilege of seeing these birds, Whooping cranes have become ambassadors for our wetlands and for all species in need of our assistance. Support our wildlife. Select a favorite project, a favorite place, a favorite species and do your part to help our natural world.